Women's Role In Buddhism Essay

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Women’s participation and roles in Buddhism reflects many of the same aspects I see in other religions, though less buried by later patriarchal writings minimizing their importance. It is obvious that women had tremendous influence in the early Buddhist movement, and the organizing of orders of nuns would be a testament to their mission. Knowing that women were still completely under the control of men during the emergence of this new religion it seems reasonable to assume the leaders were open to women in spiritual roles. At a time when women were to remain in the home, tending to husbands and children, it would require this type of acceptance for them to leave this behind and concentrate fully on a spiritual journey. In the cultural context …show more content…

101) yet are given many more rules and higher standards to meet than men. Ultimately, only women are singled out as a threat to a man’s pure spirit, though privately women are told to keep themselves from me. Faith traditions do seem to begin as (more) equal and then become hijacked by men. It parallels the story of Jesus in that it begins with great influences of women, and then they are slowly written out of the story.
Other than explaining it with patriarchal oppression, I still have a difficult time understanding why wisdom is considered feminine yet discounted when used to describe women. We are the embodiment of wisdom, but still need to become ‘like men’ to move upward spiritually? It really makes no sense to me.
What isn’t surprising is how women use their faith and spirituality to achieve many other objectives in their lives. Becoming a nun allows one to break free of social constraints that hinder the fullness of female independence. Women who live in regions where their lives are dictated by social norms may enter nunhood to escape forced marriage, motherhood, or even to find safety if they are not heterosexual. It also offers the ability to acquire power over their own spirituality, even though they may still be governed by men. Oppressed people often find ways around their

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